Welcome to Circle of the
Moonlit Sea's

Introduction to Traditional
Wicca

(Class material revised 8/17/01)

In an attempt to meet the increasing need for education in
Wicca, Circle of the Moonlit Sea is proud to bring to the
Internet some of the text portion of our Introduction to
Traditional Wicca course, previously available only to local
students. Instructors Forest and Joe Butera have taught a British
Traditional form of Wicca in Port St. Lucie, Florida since 1992.
They have done seminars on various Wiccan topics at PhoenixPhyre
Gathering, for the St. Lucie County Library book buyers, and the
St. Lucie County Police Academy.

NOTE:
We do not teach Wicca on-line or through correspondence. Traditional
Wicca is taught only in-person.

We are of the firm belief that most seekers of the basic knowledge
of Wicca want and deserve quality basic-education which may not
be available, in person, in their geographical area. Please understand
that only a portion of traditional Wicca can be learned via printed
material. The rest must be learned from a qualified Initiate in
person. If you choose to work through the material on our website
you might benefit from joining our e-mail
discussion group. After working through this class material
and recommended books we suggest looking for a teacher or group
in your area. See our page on How
to find a teacher or coven.

Feel free to work through the classes at your leisure. The
answers to homework questions can be found in the material posted
in the classes or in the recommended books. While we can not provide
feed back on entire homework lessons do feel free to e-mail
us if you have a specific question about the lessons or related
topics.

Interest in Wicca is growing in leaps and bounds, partly due
to recent movies and television programs popularizing witchcraft.
Everyday we hear of yet another Coven which was started by a group
of friends eager to be witches, but having no-where to turn for
guidance. The younger generation of Wiccans are frequently unaware
that experienced teachers do exist and are willing to help sincere
seekers. The operative word here is sincere.

While opinions on what Wicca is and how it should be taught
vary greatly, we base our opinions and methods on ten years of
study, research and practice, nine years of teaching, our interaction
with thousands of pagans in-person at pagan gatherings, ten years
of on-line discussions, and the 30 years experience of our own
teacher/High Priestess.

Those who base their Wicca practices solely on the information
found in books, or the advice of self-taught friends, are only
scratching the surface of what the Craft is about. Those who base
their practices on movies or t.v. shows are even worse off. They
tend to pick up catch-phrases which scream out to those of us
with experience: I'm a Hollywood witch and I haven't got
a clue.

It is not possible to do Initiations on-line or via correspondence.
We are aware that there are teachers of the Craft who go through
the motions of doing so, but such Initiations are not recognized
as valid in traditional Wiccan circles. Nor do we believe it is
ethical to teach spells or spell-crafting except in-person, and
then that information is shared only with those whom the teacher
knows well enough to trust with that information.

It is the desire of, Circle of the Moonlit Sea
and the Blue Moon tradtion to provide a course of study which
goes deeper into Wiccan basics than most books, but we can not
over-emphasize the benefits to be derived from one-on-one contact
with an experienced and respected member of the Craft community
. Never hesitate to ask a prospective teacher about his or
her teachers and their teacher's teachers. Whether
you want to work Solitary or in a Coven, learning about Wicca
is simple: just pick up a book. However, getting a quality education
in the Craft is neither easy nor quick. It can take years of dedicated
study and practice, but the rewards are well worth the effort.

Circle of the Moonlit Sea's approach to Wicca emphasizes
ethics, developing a personal relationship with the Elements and
Gods, enlightenment (getting to know yourself and where you fit
in the grand scheme of things), and how to truly live (not
merely do) the Craft.

If you would like to receive announcements on up-coming events
or discuss class material with other members of our discussion
group click here. The Blue Moon
tradition is currently being taught only on a one-on-one basis
to sincere seekers of traditional Wicca. If you are seriously
interested and live in the Port St. Lucie, Florida area please
write to Forest for
further information.